Steering-wheel lock



Jul 22 1924. s. WISE STEERING WHEEL LOCK 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 19,

4 3 i Q 5, l v E E W S STEERING WHEEL LOCK 2 Sheets-$heet 2 I Filed July 19, 1922 Patented July 22, 1924. 1,501,934

1 UNITED STATS ATENT OFFICE.

SOLOMON wIsE; or CINCINNATI, OHIO.

STEERING-WHEEL LOCK. i Application fiiea iul 19,1922. Serial No. 575,925. T all whom 2'2. may concern: cago, Illinois, and has withstood ver 55 I Be it known that I, SOLOMON WISE, a, citisevere tests, but it should be understood that zen of the United States, and a resident of the illustrated showing is merely a preferred Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and form of structure, in which details-could be State of Ohio, have invented certain new changed without departing from the spirit and useful Improvements in Steering-Wheel of the invention involved. 60 Looks, of which the following is a full, clear, I accomplish the various objects above and exact description, reference being had to named and other advantages to be noted by the accompanying drawings, forming part of that certain construction and arrangement, this specification. 1 My invention relates to steering wheel pointed out. by means of the, illustrative 65 locks which hold the steering wheel fast mechanism shown in the drawings and the against revolution for purposes of preventnovelty inherent therein duly claimed, ing the vehicle being steered by means of'the In the drawings, f h l b an th i d person, F igure 1 is a top plan view of the lock in In devices of this character the ingenuity closed or locked position. 70 of automobile thieves has so increased that F ignre 2 is a side elevation of the lock by many of the wheel locks formerly accepted s lf taken from thehinged side. as a safeguard against theft have proven un- F g 3 is a l View Of the k y itself safe. The reason for this is that with ken r m the lock bolt side. properly directed blows, the use of a hack 7 gll 4: i a ction on the line 4.4 of 75 saw and large pipe wrenches and pry bars, F ,2111 V t f th t i h l l k can b Figure 51s a perspective view of the lock broken or released, or in the case of the loose bolt. and so k t. h l t f l k th h l can b j d I Figure 61s a detail section of the method b di t ti it, I F d t bil h of hinging the lock platetaken on the line 80 ing agear case at the top of the steerin of g e column it is also possible in most fast whee lgure i' is a top plan view of the look looks or loose wheel locks toremove the p te. gear @335, cap d t th hid ith a i F lgure 8 is'a like view of the gear case large Stillson wrench. Ve 85 It is the object of my invention to provide F1gure'9 is a section on the line 9--9 of a wheel lock of the type noted above, in F 12111 which, in the first place, the engagement of Figure 10 is :a section of the lock barrel the lock member is so close to the hub of the device and mounting.

steering wheel that removal of spokes can Figure 11 1s asection and F ig. ll a; pl nv 0 not afi'ect the lock engagement. It is also f he barrel ferrule. my object to prevent "removal of the steer- Referring to theillustrated embodiment, ing wheel or the'gear case cap. the gear case cover 1 is provided, which 40 It is my object to provide a lock in which cover is threaded to screw down over the the bolt cannot be sheared or bentaway, gear case of a Ford steering wheel mechathereby releasingthe lock short of a. blow lisIn- V which would demolish a piece of heavy case A driven pin-2 holds this-coveragainst 'behardened steel. 1 ing unscrewed which screw 7 is available 45 It is my object to -permit removal of the when the lock plate-isthrown open, as. will look when it is open by unscrewingthe gear 'bedescribed. case cap, but to prevent any. unscrewing On'the gear case, which is formed'with when thelock is closed. a bead 3 around its upper edge, is crimped It is also my object to provide a lock which a cover plate 4. This plate engages on the isapressedsteel proposition throughout andv gear case by the flangefri crimped under can be made inexpensively and very strong, the head 3.; Also a filler plate-5 is provided 1o5 so as to sell for a reasonable price. which fits into a portion'of' the cover "plate The lock to be described has been" listed which pr j c beyond the ci l r g er e by the Underwriters li b t i t Qht coveru This plate .isereseent-sheped a engages under the head on the case cover and is crimped inside the curled edge of the flange on the cover plate, as'at 5 The cover plate t is slotted at the top of the gear case cover, leaving a space for the hinged link and the filler plate 5 closes off the bottom of the protruding portion 4: of said cover plate. When the cover plate or lock plate is open, the pin 2 may be driven in place by a tool inserted through the lock bolt slot 12' to be hereinafter referred to.

The top of the cover plate is formed with a slot 7 01 just the width to give clearance to a linkfS. The link 8is thrust through the slot in assembling the device and the pin 9 is set into the hole 10 of the link, thereby holding the link to the cover plate without riveting. This is donebefore crimping over the flange on the cover plate. V

The portion P of the cover plate is formed with a circular depression 11 at the bottom of which is a key slot 12, through which the bolt head is passed and then. turned at right angles, when the device is locked in'use.

The lock plate is form-ed preferably of a single piece of steel having a dome-shaped central portion 18 to clear the hub. and mounting nut of the steering wheel 14, and with two downwardly curvedwide.lips15, which in the standard steering wheelwill lie between the spokes of the wheel closely adj acent to the hub and take up practically all the space between the spokes at this point (Figure 1). i

This lock plate has a. depending portion 16 with a central slot 17 therein, and with lateral depending flanges h. is thrust into the slot and the pin 19 laid under the depressed portion and thrust through a hole" in the end of the link. The depending portion is then curled or crimped under the pin, thereby holding it in place without riveting. The flanges or lips 18 preventing access to the ends of the pin to drive it out. H V

This structur hinges the lock plate so that it can be swung back. and, dropped entirely out of the way of the steering wheel, as indicated in dotted'lines at A in. Figure 4.

The opposite end of thelock plate to the hinged end is formed with a deep cylindrical cup 20 having a curvedbottom 21. which when the plate is closedv will fit into the cireular depression in the cover plate, thus providing a rounded bearing of great, strength. Into thebottom of the cup 20 is dropped the lock belt which is made at a single paece of hardened steel having a Y headfl'Z similar to a screw head having" a rounded base 23 bearing in the bottom of thecup. V

I The cy-lindrical shankQ of" the bolt extends through theslotfZd in the base o'tjthe.

eap-shaped portion-2 1, which slot is at right bolt ngag g p ket, and

The link 8 comprising lips angles to the slot 12. The T-head 26 of the bolt is adapted to extend through the slot 12, so that when the bolt is turned a quarter turn, the head will engage the wallsof the slot 12.

After the belt is dropped in place, the lock barrel 27 is assembled with a hard steel ferrule 28 which is driven into the cylindrical cup 20 with the operating tongue 28 of the lock extending into the slot in the screw-like head of the locking bolt, The ferrule cup will come below the edge of the cup-shaped hole, so that it cannot be pried out of said hole. The lock barrel may thus be a die casting and all strains in inserting it anddanger ofjbreakag'e are avoided.

As so constructed the lock; is complete. In mounting iton a Ford car, the usual gear ease cap is removed a nd'the special gear case cap, together with its crimped-oncover, is screwed on in place of the removed cap. The steel'p-in 2 is then driven home and the lock is ready for use.

In locking the device, the wheel is brought to a position where the locking capcan be swung up 'between twoof the spokes, and it is then'swung up and dropped over the hub of; the wheel and the lock bolt is turned to form a'positive lock; with the cover plate.

There is thus a four point interception be tween the spokes of the Wheel, one at the hinge, one at the lock barrel and bolt mounting cup and the two others at the depend ing lips V Having thusdescribed my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a steering wheel lock, the combination of'means secured on the steering column of an automobile, adjacent the steering wheel, and a hinged plate on said means adapted to swing up through the spokes of the wheel'and down over the center of the wheel, and a lock for the no-n-hinged end ot the plate adapted to lock it to the steering column, said plate having means for engaging between the wheelspokes in addition to the hinge and lock connections.

2. In a steering wheel lock, the combination of means secured on the steering column of an automobile, adjacent the steering wheel, and a hinged plate on said means adapted to swing up through the spokes of the wheel and down over the center of the wheel, and a lock for the non-hinged end of the plate adapted to lock it to the steering coluinmsaid "1at;@' having means for engaging between'the wheel spokes; in. addition to the hinge and lock'cennections, said ,nieans turned down from the said. plate and'ioccupyingilargely the space be tween same-1a spokes close to the hub of the wheel.

, In a steeringwheel lock, the combine tie-n. ofm'eanseecnred hthestering column of an automobile, adjacent the steering wheel, and a hinged plate on said means adapted to swing up through the spokes of the wheel and down over the center of the wheel, and a lock for the non-hinged end of the plate adapted to lock it to the steering column, said plate having means for engaging between the wheel spokes in addition to the hinge and lock connections, said plate having a closed top to lie over the wheel hub. V

4. In a steering wheel lock, the combination of means secured on the steering column of an automobile, adjacent the steering wheel, and a hinged plate on said means adapted to swing up through the spokes of the wheel and down over the center of the wheel, and a lock for the non-hinged end of the plate adapted to lock it to the steering column, said plate having means for engaging between the wheel spoke-s in addition to the hinge and lock connections, said means comprising lips turned down from the said plate and occupying largely the space between adjacent spokes close to the hub of the wheel, said plate having a closed top to lie over the hub of the wheel, said lips extending in a unitary manner from said top.

5. In a steering wheel lock, the combination with a steering column and a steering wheel thereon, of means mounted on the column and constituting a hinge, a locking member connected to said hinge and adapted to swing into position of engagement with the steering wheel to hold it against turning and a lock for the locking member comprising an element on the steering column and an element on the locking member having socketed engagement with each other, and a revoluble bolt controlled by a key, said bolt being located within one of said elements and projecting through a slot in the the other element, said two elements being formed as concavities, so as to have a rounded engagement and the bolt having a head with a rounded seat to engage in the one concavity.

6. In a steering wheel lock, the combination with a steering column and a steerin wheel thereon, of means mounted on the column and constituting a hinge, a locking member connected to said hinge and adapted to swing into position of engagement with the steering wheel to hold it against turning and a lock for the locking member comprising an element on the steering column and an element on the locking member having socketed engagement with each other, and a revoluble bolt controlled by a key, said bolt being located within one of said elements and projecting through a slot in the other element, said two elements being formed as concavities, so as tohave a rounded engagement and the bolti having a head with a rounded seat to eng ge in the one concavity,

cover, means on the said lock plate will swing up and over the' hub of a steering wheel and be locked inplace in such position.

8. In a steering wheel lock, agear case cover comprising a hinge, and a lock part,a lock platesecured to said hinge, said lock plate having'a complementary lock part, said lock plate hinge and lock parts so located that the lock plate will swing up and over the hub of a steering wheel and be locked in place in such position.

9. In a steering wheel look, a gear case cover, a link, means for pivoting the link on the gear case cover, a lock plate pivoted to said link and a lock part on the gear case cover and on the lock plate, said parts so located that the lock plate will swing upand over the hub of a steering wheel and be locked in place in such position.

10. In a steering wheel lock, a gear case cover, a link, means for pivoting the link on the gear case cover, a lock plate pivotedto said link and a lock part on the gear case cover and on the lock plate, said parts so located that the lock plate will swing up and over the hub of a steering wheel and be locked in place in such position, the pivots for the link comprising pins engaging holes in the link, one of said pins being housed within apart on the gear case cover, and the other being housed within the lock plate, whereby riveting of the pins is avoided.

11. A lock for devices of the character described, comprising a fixed member and a movable member, the fixed member having a rounded depression therein provided with a slot, the movable member having a cylindrical cup therein having a rounded bottom g to engage in the rounded depression, a bolt rounded nature seated in the base of the cup and having its shank and head projecting therethrough for engagement in the slot of the depression, and a lock barrel having a member engaging said head, said lock barrel being mounted in said cup.

12. A lock for devices of the character described, comprising a fixed member and a movable member, the fixed member having a rounded depression therein provided with a slot, the movable member having a cylindrical cup therein having a rounded bottom to engage in the rounded depressiom'a bolt having a head of rounded nature-seated in the base of the cup and having its shank and by means-- of a ferrule cup head projecting theret-hrough for engagement in the slotof'the depression, and a lock barrel having a member engaging said head, said loch barrel being mounted in said cup having a hole in it allowing the slotted key portion of the barrel to extend through it, so that the key can be revolved, and terminating short of the upper edge of the cup,

13'. In a steering Wheel lock, a gear case cover, means on the said cover comprising a hinge, and a lock part, alock plate of a single piece secured to said hinge, said lock plate" having a complementary lock part, said lock plate hinge and lock parts so located that the lock plate Will s-Wing up and over the'hub of a steering Wheel so as to straddle the said'hfub and be locked in place in such position, said complementary lock part comprising a key-controlled element and a bolt housed irremovably Within the lock plate. 7

14. In a steering Wheel look, a gear case cover, means on the said cover comprising a hinge, and a lock part, a lock plate secured to said hinge, said loch plate having a complementary lock part, said lock plate hinge and lock parts so located that the lock plate Will swing up and over the hub of a steering Wheel and be locked in'place in such position, said complementary lock part com prising a lock barrel and lock, and a socketed member forming part or the lock plate within which said barrel is housed.

SOLOMON WISE, V 

